Police officer fired after arrest in Cherryville

Kevin Ellis Gazette staff TheGazetteKevin

Monday

Jun 11, 2018 at 2:45 PM

A South Carolina law enforcement officer lost her job this month after getting arrested in Cherryville on charges including driving while impaired, marijuana possession and illegal carrying of a gun, according to police officials.

Tanya Moore Ervin-Leonhardt, 58, an officer since 2002, was fired June 3 after she was arrested June 2 in Cherryville, N.C., said Maj. Bryan Zachary, spokesman for the Fort Mill Police Department.

Ervin-Leonhardt spent several hours in Gaston County Jail before her release on an unsecured bond.

Fort Mill police officials were told of the arrest June 2 then fired her the next day, Fort Mills Police Chief Jeff Helms told The (Rock Hill) Herald.

"We looked at the information and made the decision to terminate the officer," Helms said.

Ervin-Leonhardt worked as the department's desk officer, Helms said.

On June 1, around 8:43 p.m., Cherryville police stopped Ervin-Leonhardt on Rudisill Street after receiving a call about reckless driving, Cherryville Police Officer E.G. Stivala Jr. wrote in a court affidavit.

Stivala noted a smell of alcohol coming from Ervin-Leonhardt. He reported that Ervin-Leonhardt admitted to having two beers and an open container of beer in the center console. She refused a road soad "alco-senser" test, according to the affidavit.

At the magistrate's office, she registered a 0.06 on an blood-alcohol test, which is 0.02 less than the legal limit, according to court records.